Walmart Milk Processing Plant FACT SHEET
The Walmart Milk Processing Plant in Fort Wayne will begin bottling later this summer and will kick into full production later this year.
The facility will produce great tasting whole, 2%, 1% and skim milk as well as 1% chocolate milk for our Great Value brand.
Once the plant is fully operational it will be one of the largest fluid milk plants in the U.S., supplying milk to nearly 500 Walmart stores in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and parts of Illinois and Kentucky.
The facility is located at 2322 W. Pleasant Center Road in Fort Wayne.
Walmart is working with three milk cooperatives and a number of independent farmers. Each farm that will be supplying milk to the facility is within 210 miles of the plant, with the average distance being just 140 miles.
Indiana is home to 21 dairy processing plants and 14 farmstead operations, helping the Hoosier state rank No. 14 in the nation in milk production and No. 2 in ice cream production. On average, Indiana has roughly 184,000 dairy cows, which can produce 61 pounds of milk per day, accounting for nearly 2 percent of total U.S. milk production.
Approximately 25 farms across Indiana and Michigan have signed up to provide milk to the 250,000 square-foot state-of-the-art plant.
In Indiana, Walmart serves customers at 130 retail units and online through Walmart Grocery Pickup, Walmart.com and Jet.com.
Construction on the plant began in 2016.
Walmart employs nearly 40,000 associates in Indiana.
Nearly 200 Walmart associates have been hired to work in the plant with an additional 100 thirdparty hires made to support the transportation.
Walmart supports local businessess, spending $2 billion with Indiana suppliers in FYE 17, which supports nearly 59,000 supplier jobs.
For b-roll and photos from Walmart, please visit the Walmart Media Library.
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Walmart Milk Processing Plant QUOTE SHEET
This new plant is a perfect example of the kinds of efficiencies Walmart seeks in our supply chain to benefit our customers. Farmers and associates in Indiana have been critical in getting us to this point. As we begin to bottle milk for our customers in the area, they will continue to be the biggest factor in our success. - Tony Airoso, Senior Vice President of Sourcing Strategy, Walmart
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Prairie Farms Dairy has enjoyed our relationship with Walmart for over 30 years. We have had the opportunity to sell our products in their stores during that time. We are delighted to have the opportunity to become one of the farmer-owened cooperatives to supply raw milk to the new Walmart plant in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. It will be a tremendous benefit for our farmer-owned cooperative to supply milk from our local Prairie Farms producers.
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- Ed Mullins, CEO/Executive VP of Prairie Farms Dairy
Great Lakes Milk Producers and its members appreciate the opportunity to be a key part of the new Walmart facility in Indiana. Walmart commands a leading role in retail, so the investment in this plant, its people, and the products it will produce presents a bright future for dairy. It’s also a much needed opportunity for the dairy farmers who will provide milk, especially at a time when milk production is in abundant supply. Great Lakes Milk Producers looks forward to working with Walmart and supplying them with high quality milk and service for their Fort Wayne facility.
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- Doug Brechler, CEO of Great Lakes Milk Producers
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This new facility is a vote of confidence in our state, in the northeast Indiana region and the Fort Wayne community. Even more, it’s a vote of confidence in our people. Today, we celebrate 300 new jobs for talented Hoosiers. That’s great news for those employees and their families, and it’s more evidence that Indiana is on a roll with its pro-business climate and skilled workforce.
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- Governor of Indiana Eric Holcomb
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When a company of Walmart’s size and scope comes to our community with hundreds of steady jobs, we welcome their investment. It’s rare that a single project can do so much for the business, agricultural, and workers’ interests at one time, and we in Allen County are excited to have this opportunity to partner with Walmart.
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- Allen County Commissioner Therese Brown
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As we continue to execute our cooperative strategy for Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, we look forward to working with Walmart to provide quality milk to consuemrs while adding value for our members.
- Michael Doyle, President & CEO of Foremost Farms USA